2006 SAAB 9-3 octane

164 Starting and drivingImportant
considerations for
driving1 Starting and driving
 Do not use full throttle until the engine
is warm, so as to avoid unnecessary
wear. If the needle of the turbo gauge
repeatedly enters the red zone, the
engine may suddenly lose power, due
to the initiation of a monitoring system
that limits the boost pressure. We
recommend that you contact a Saab
dealer as soon as possible.
 Under certain barometric conditions
(high outside temperature and/or high
altitude) the needle may enter the first
part of the red zone without necessarily
indicating that a fault has arisen.
 A protective function (interruption of the
fuel supply) limits the engine speed.2 Stopping the engine
 Do not rev the engine immediately
before switching it off - stop the engine
when it is idling.
3 Regulating the boost pressure
 One of the advantages of boost pres-
sure regulation is that the engine can
also be run safely on gasoline with a
lower octane rating, although not lower
than AON 87. However, engine perfor-
mance will fall slightly and heavy load-
ing and laboring should be avoided. For
optimum performance, use the recom-
mended grade of fuel.
 The maximum boost pressure is regu-
lated according to the tendency of the
engine to knock. Short-lived knocking
is perfectly normal. This can occur
when the engine is running at about
3,000 rpm under a heavy load. The
extent of this knocking will depend on
the grade of fuel in the tank.
 Isolated instances of knocking can
occur with low-octane fuel. This
controlled form of knocking, followed by
a reduction in the boost pressure, is a
sign that the control system is working
normally, and is perfectly safe for the
engine.
Limp-homeThe engine management system has a
diagnostic feature that checks a number of
internal functions. If a fault is detected in the
throttle valve, the engine management
system will set the throttle system to the
limp-home mode. This means:
 idling control will be poor (uneven idling
since regulated by ignition and fuel
supply)
 engine performance will be reduced
 the cruise control will not function
 the capacity of the A/C compressor will be
limited.NOTICE If the engine sounds strange there is a
malfunction. We recommend that you
contact a Saab dealer immediately.
 The use of fuel with too low an octane
rating can cause serious engine
damage.
93U S M 06.book Page 164 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

167 Starting and driving
Refueling
WARNING
If you spill fuel and then something ignites
it, you could be badly burned. Fuel can
spray out on you if you open the fuel cap
too quickly. This spray can happen if your
tank is nearly full, and is more likely in hot
weather. Open the fuel cap slowly and
wait for any “hiss” noise to stop. Then
unscrew the cap all the way.
Gasoline fumes are highly explosive.
Therefore:
never smoke while refueling
never use gasoline for any purpose
other than as engine fuel
 gasoline is extremely flammable and
can cause severe burns. No open or
exposed flames near gasoline
do not use a mobile phone at the
same time as refueling
NOTICE Do not overfill. Fuel should not come
right up the filler pipe as room for
expansion is needed for when the
temperature rises.
 The use of fuel with too low an octane
rating can cause serious engine
damage.
 Clean fuel from painted surfaces as
soon as possible.
NOTICEThe engine control module (ECM) moni-
toring the engine parameters also stores
fault codes.
Under certain circumstances, this may
cause constant illumination of the Engine
malfunction (CHECK ENGINE) lamp
, thus indicating a fault that must be
checked by your Saab dealer, see
page 85.
NOTE: always observe the following two
measures:
 Make sure that the fuel filler cap is
screwed on correctly before the
engine is started. Screw on the fuel
filler cap until you hear a distinct click.
 Avoid driving with the fuel low level
indicator illuminated. The symbol illu-
minates when less than approximately
2.5 gallons (10 litres) of fuel remains
in the tank.
93U S M 06.book Page 167 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

169 Starting and driving
The fuel door has a built in filler cap holder
slot located on the fuel door. Slide the white
ring on the cap into the slot.
Notice: If you need a new fuel cap, be sure
to get the right type. Your dealer can get one
for you. If you get the wrong type, it may not
fit properly.
Filling a portable fuel container Fuel (Gasoline Engine)
Fuel
Use of the recommended fuel is an impor-
tant part of the proper maintenance of your
vehicle.
For optimum performance Saab recom-
mends:
2.0t 175 hp – AON 90.
2.0T 210 hp – AON 90.
2.8 V6 230 hp and 250 hp — AON 90.
Gasoline Octane
Use regular unleaded gasoline with a
posted octane of 87 or higher. If the octane
is less than 87, you may get a heavy knock-
ing noise when you drive. If this occurs, use
a gasoline rated at 87 octane or higher as
soon as possible. Otherwise, you might
damage your engine. A little pinging noise
when you accelerate or drive uphill is con-
sidered normal. This does not indicate a
problem exists or that a higher-octane fuel
is necessary. If you are using 87 octane or
higher-octane fuel and hear heavy knock-
ing, your engine needs service.
WARNING
Never fill a portable fuel container while it
is in your vehicle. Static electricity
discharge from the container can ignite
the gasoline vapor. You can be badly
burned and your vehicle damaged if this
occurs. To help avoid injury to you and
others:
 Dispense gasoline only into approved
containers.
 Do not fill a container while it is inside
a vehicle, in a vehicle’s trunk, pickup
bed or on any surface other than the
ground.
 Bring the fill nozzle in contact with the
inside of the fill opening before operat-
ing the nozzle. Contact should be
maintained until the filling is complete.
 Do not smoke while pumping gaso-
line.
When refueling, hang the filler cap inside
the fuel door93U S M 06.book Page 169 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

170 Starting and drivingGasoline Specifications
It is recommended that gasoline meet spec-
ifications which were developed by automo-
bile manufacturers around the world and
contained in the World-Wide Fuel Charter
which is available from the Alliance of Auto-
mobile Manufacturers at www.autoalli-
ance.org/fuel_charter.htm. Gasoline meet-
ing these specifications could provide
improved driveability and emission control
system performance compared to other
gasoline.California Fuel
If your vehicle is certified to meet California
Emission Standards (see the underhood
emission control label), it is designed to
operate on fuels that meet California speci-
fications. If this fuel is not available in states
adopting California emissions standards,
your vehicle will operate satisfactorily on
fuels meeting federal specifications, but
emission control system performance may
be affected. The malfunction indicator lamp
may turn on and your vehicle may fail a
smog-check test. See Engine malfunction
(CHECK ENGINE) on page 85. If this
occurs, return to your authorized Saab
dealer for diagnosis. If it is determined that
the condition is caused by the type of fuel
used, repairs may not be covered by your
warranty.Additives
To provide cleaner air, all gasolines in the
United States are now required to contain
additives that will help prevent engine and
fuel system deposits from forming, allowing
your emission control system to work prop-
erly. You should not have to add anything to
your fuel. However, some gasolines contain
only the minimum amount of additive
required to meet U.S. Environmental Pro-
tection Agency regulations. Saab recom-
mends that you buy gasolines that are
advertised to help keep fuel injectors and
intake valves clean. If your vehicle experi-
ences problems due to dirty injectors or
valves, try a different brand of gasoline.
Gasolines containing oxygenates, such as
ethers and ethanol, and reformulated gaso-
lines may be available in your area to con-
tribute to clean air. Saab recommends that
you use these gasolines, particularly if they
comply with the specifications described
earlier.
Notice: Your vehicle was not designed
for fuel that contains methanol. Do not
use fuel containing methanol. It can cor-
rode metal parts in your fuel system and
also damage the plastic and rubber
parts. That damage would not be cov-
ered under your warranty.
Some gasolines that are not reformulated
for low emissions may contain an octane-
enhancing additive called methylcyclopen-
tadienyl manganese tricarbonyl (MMT); ask
the attendant where you buy gasoline 93U S M 06.book Page 170 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com

299 Technical data
Fuel
When to change engine oil.
Your vehicle has a display (SID) where time for service will be
shown. Based not only on mileage but also on driving condi-
tions the mileage at which a service will be indicated can vary
considerably.
Under normal circumstances the service indication will come on
at or around 15 000 miles or 2 years.
For this service system to work it is of outmost importance that
the right engine oil is used.
When the message for service is displayed you need to have
the required service done as soon as possible.
After the service your service personnel will reset the service in-
dicator. It is important to reset the service indicator in order to
optimize the time to the next service.
Oil capacity, including filter (oil change)
Petrol engine, 4-cyl. ________________ 6.3 qts. (6.0 l)
Petrol engine, V6 __________________ 6.0 qts. (5.7 l)Fuel tank capacity ________________ 16.05 U.S. gal. (61 l)
For optimum performance Saab recom-
mends: _______________________ 2.0t 175 hp – AON 90.
2.0T 210 hp – AON 90.
2.8 V6 230 hp and
250 hp — AON 90.
Gasoline with a lower octane rating can be used, although not
lower than AON 87. However, engine performance will fall slightly
and heavy loading and laboring should be avoided. For optimum
performance, use the recommended grade of fuel.
For further information on fuel, see page 169.93U S M 06.book Page 299 Friday, February 18, 2005 1:15 PM
ProCarManuals.com